This news is so sad. He's one of the real good guys. I hope he becomes a survivor once again.

“It is only in the United States that a penniless survivor of the Holocaust and a fighter in the anti-Nazi underground could have received an education, raised a family, and had the privilege of serving the last three decades of his life as a Member of Congress. I will never be able to express fully my profoundly felt gratitude to this great country."

Actually, he could have done that in a multitude of western nations, especially Australia or New Zealand for instance who absorbed many of the WW2 homeless. ( apart from serving in the actual US congress, he could have been elected to office in any nation )

I wish him the best though with fighting his illness.

I wish him well as I would for anyone who is seriously ill, but I can't say I'm not glad that he will not be running again.

Does it count as irony that, with a few minor modifications, a baby incubator can be used to treat cancer of the esophagus?

Your article about Lantos is wrong. Lantos is a liberal on many issues but has ALWAYS taken a hard right (wrong) on the Israeli Palestinian conflict. His dangerous stance, and anti-Palestinian legislation has kept our nation in a state of denial in regard to Israel's illegal and immoral expandsion of illegal settlements, holding on to the Golan , the destruction of Palestinian olive trees, the refugee camps Israel's massive stockpiles of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons (which started the arms race in the middle east 50 years ago) that go unchecked. This state of denial has been a thorn in the side of many nations in the middle east.

While I hope Lantos survives his struggle with cancer. His as well as many other Israeli firsters (congress woman Ros Lantos and others) radical and destructive stances on the I/P issue have kept our nation in a dangerous state of denial .

What did he ever do for the people?

Caroway @ 18:

cynick @ 7:

what does this mean for Israel??

Hopefully, less clout. But I doubt it.

If the Aipac espionage trial is dismissed by Mukasey then all bets for improving US National Security are off. This trial has been dismissed fivetimes and the mainstream media has barely mentioned it. This is the elephant in the room that no one is talking about or reporting. The trial date is April 29th if Schumer and Feinsteins new Attorney General Mukasey dismisses it Aipac may come out even stronger after handing classified intelligence about Iran off to Israeli officials.

Let's hope for justice , truth and US National Security this trial goes forward.

Aipac on trial
http://www.counterpunch.org/petras01072006.html

http://www.newsfollowup.com/aipac.htm

http://www.forward.com/articles/11953/

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/C34672DA-1613-4A1E-BE4B-A6FDE8524388.htm

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119483060799589618.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Why was my comment moderated? Is it because I mentioned Aipac?

Lantos is an arrogant jerk. His response to his sucking-up for Bush's war in Iraq was disgusting. He should've been thrown out of office last election.

Here are some articles about the anti Palestinian legislation that Lantos, Ros Lehtinen and others have pushed forward after the Palestinians had a free and fair election and voted for Hamas.

http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/?s=HR%204681

Lantos legislation and votes
http://www.lantoswatch.org/legislation.html

Lantos and cutting off all aid to the Palestinians
http://thehill.com/the-executive/divide-over-palestinian-authority-could-derail-bill-to-limit-funding-2006-03-02.html

Madame Defarge @ 1:

For me it's a not-so-fond farewell to Lantos, the Joe Lieberman of California.

excuse me,

while lantos did indeed initially support the chimps war, he has changed, and has been an ardent critic of what has been happening in iraq

he is not another holy joe

Sam @ 8:

The same thing got Ann Richards. We miss her so much here in Austin

She is missed in more places than Austin...... Many more.

Congressman Lantos:

I just heard of your medical diagnosis and wanted to reach out to you as a former Esophageal Cancer patient and current three year survivor. My wife and I want to wish you a good fight and a speedy recovery.

This is a difficult and fearful time for you and your family, but do not think this disease a death sentence. Be aggressive with your treatment and positive with your attitude and you can beat back "the beast." I need not tell you how to do this as a holocaust survivor.

In any case, you may wish to seek out the opinion of my crack medical team at the Jay Monahan Center in NY, headed by Dr. Mark Pochapin and featuring one of the nations's best EC surgeon's Dr. Nassar Altorki of Weil Cornell - New York Presbyterian. We can praise these Drs enough for the treatment, surgery and care I received that ultimately saved my life. My oncologist was Dr. Allyson Ocean, by the way. Top notch.

In addition, there is an online support group for EC at www.kathyscafe.com and this is connected with the Esophageal Cancer Awareness Assocition, a group that I was a trustee for.

My struggle with cancer returned me to elected office as a town Councilman (Freehold Borough, NJ). My fight was so inspirational that our Democratic Mayor reached across the aisle and returned a former GOP Councilman to the seat I vacated seven years earlier. You, too, can return to political office and do good for EC awareness, while you benefit your constituency in other ways. Please feel free to contact me, if you need any support in battling this difficult but beatable disease.

God Bless You.

Marc LeVine
Freehold, NJ

Madame Defarge @ 32:

uncle joe mccarthy @ 29:

Madame Defarge @ 1:

For me it's a not-so-fond farewell to Lantos, the Joe Lieberman of California.

excuse me,

while lantos did indeed initially support the chimps war, he has changed, and has been an ardent critic of what has been happening in iraq

he is not another holy joe

The people, including Lantos, who deliberately orchestrated the slaughter of millions of Iraqis and the total destruction of Iraq have EVERYTHING TO GAIN by claiming GWB screwed it all up.

you do recall that congress was provided phony intel....right?

bill w @ 31:

Sam @ 8:

The same thing got Ann Richards. We miss her so much here in Austin

She is missed in more places than Austin...... Many more.

Yes. And Molly Ivins too. Bless them both.

Damn I liked Lantos.

One of the good guys? Give me a break. As his constituent I am overjoyed that his congressional days are over. He has palestinian death on his hands, big time. Lockheed is here in his district. Recently he has uttered some good words (emotional pygmies, indeed). but look at his votes. I am thrilled that I won't be calling his offices anymore. I won't comment on his cancer. He is well taken care of. The state of Israel loses a steadfast moneybag.

bill w @ 31:

Sam @ 8:

The same thing got Ann Richards. We miss her so much here in Austin

She is missed in more places than Austin...... Many more.

Sorry Tom Lantos. I hope it's been caught early so you'll need minimal treatment.

I hope Lantos' health improves

Look, the guy has cancer. Dig down deep and see if you muster up a little humanity

Why is it okay with you that Lantos failed to muster up a little humanity for the peaceful, innocent, defenseless people of Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Palestine?

[Edited. Enough, Madame. Because you feel that Lantos is inhumane, then it's OK for you to be the same? He's ill. This isn't a thread about his politics. If you must post vitriol about ill people, please don't do it on this site-Sitemonitor]

Madame Defarge @ 63:

LET'S SEE YOU PROVE TOM LANTOS LOVES PEACE AND JUSTICE.

Prove you do.

(God, that's pathetic.)

[Johnny, I'm deleting the comments of Madame Defarge, and a few others who have forgotten their humanity as re Rep Lantos. So I'll be taking your responses down as well. No offense intended. Thanks for trying-Sitemonitor]

I didn't care much for Lantos, regardless of his personal story but knowing Jackie Speir is going to run to replace him is wonderful. She is the most competent and hardworking, no bullshit legislator Cal has seen in a long time. I had hoped she would try to replace difi or make a governor bid but she does not have the bigwigs of the party's backing. The fact that she doesn't shows everything that is wrong with the Cali dem party machine.

uncle joe mccarthy @ 22:

Madame Defarge @ 1:

For me it's a not-so-fond farewell to Lantos, the Joe Lieberman of California.

excuse me,

while lantos did indeed initially support the chimps war, he has changed, and has been an ardent critic of what has been happening in iraq

he is not another holy joe

Lantos is not as radical as holy Joe but real close.

Lantos voted for House Bills that he hoped would strangle Iran
http://www.reuters.com/article/sphereNews/idUSN1546004920070215?sp=true&view=sphere

I believe Lantos change in tune was just an act going with the flow. Lantos introduced the bill in the house that designated the Iranian army as a "terroist organization".

So much for a different strategy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/14/AR2007081401662_pf.html

Iranian Unit to Be Labeled 'Terrorist'
U.S. Moving Against Revolutionary Guard

By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 15, 2007; A01
The administration's move comes amid growing support in Congress for the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act, which was introduced in the Senate by Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and in the House by Tom Lantos (D-Calif.). The bill already has the support of 323 House members.

I'm sorry he has cancer, but he is responsible for irresponsible US positions about Israel. Israel is 80% mainly uneducated Russian and Polish immigrants who dont give a shit about the Palestinians, and whose political stance is more akin to Avigdor Lieverman than anything else. For people to bitch about Bush and Cheney and give this behavior a pass is beyond me. You dont hear it over here, but many Sabras dont like the hard-right attitude towards the Palestinians, starving them and causing untold criminal misery. It makes South African apartheid look like a Boy Scout meeting. Lantos didn't give a shit either. He is being lionized for zip. Good riddance to his congressional office. And you can add that (R) female Cuban with the hyphenated name down in Florida to that mix too.

I appreciate that Lantos has done a lot for progressive causes in the U.S., but he is by no means progressive in the area of foreign policy. This guy is about as hawkish and pro-war as you can get in the Dem party.

I attended a lecture he gave in Budapest to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution. His basic point was that America fights for justice and that, far from retrenching its position internationally, America's force should be *doubled* around the world. His views are, I'm sorry to say, quite typical for a certain set of expatriate Hungarians, who categorically view communism as evil, capitalism as good, and America God's gift to the world.

Also, consider this recent gem, which was chronicled in antiwar.com (www.antiwar.com/orig/jtaylor.php?articleid=12041)

In reaction to their refusal to assist in America's war on terror, Lantos "recently snapped at visiting Dutch parliamentarians and articulated a rather peculiar view of European history: "Europe was not as outraged by Auschwitz as by Guantanamo Bay," and "You have to help us [in Afghanistan], because if it was not for us you would now be a province of Nazi Germany."

I'm very sorry to hear about his cancer and am grateful for the good things that he has done in Congress, but truly, it was well past time for him to give up his seat.

Well. One can understand a certain touchiness :)

You can get esophageal cancer from acid reflux. Learned that unhappy little tidbit when a medication caused it.

Trash-talking Europe about WW2 is old-school. It is more relevant to trash-talk Europe because they didn't do a damn thing about the Balkans in the 90's.

prosthetichair @ 53:

lantos is crap, are you kidding me dude? The man is so pro-Israel it is ridiculous,

"Lantos has visited Israel 68 times, making one wonder whether his constituency is in San Mateo or Tel Aviv."

A giant among men regarding human rights? I think many Lebanese and Palestinian and Iraqi would have a different opinion

read and learn dude, this site is crap when it comes to I/P

http://www.antiwar.com/orig/jtaylor.php?articleid=12041

Very good article.

Covered some territory I didn't know about, including Lantos's efforts to block US aid to rebuilding Lebanon's infrastructure that the Israelis bombed in 2006.

According to the article, Lantos's likely replacement, Jackie Speier, is as big a zionist as Lantos is.

Bad news for those of us who are aware that Palestine had been the home to a 99.5% Arab population before the zionist influx.

Makes you really question what is going on with San Mateo residents.

Is there something unwholesome in their water supply?

If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man but deteriorate the cat.